Poor Breakfast Habits In Adolescence May Lead To Metabolic Syndrome As Adults

New study shows poor breakfast habits in adolescence may lead to metabolic syndrome as adults

Breakfast has been widely touted as the most important meal of the day. Many previous studies show that eating breakfast may improve metabolism, boost fertility in women with PCOS, and lower risks of heart disease, diabetes, and blood pressure. Now, a new study shows poor breakfast habits in adolescence may lead to metabolic syndrome as adults.

Poor breakfast habits in adolescence may lead to metabolic syndrome as adultsImage on Flickr

In a new paper published in the Public Health Nutrition Journal of Cambridge, Swedish researchers have followed up on a 27 year-long study on breakfast habits in adolescents. The study was meant to determine whether there was any correlation between poor breakfast habits and the likelihood of metabolic syndrome occurrence in adulthood.

The findings suggest that adolescents who ate poor breakfasts were associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome as adults, as opposed to those who ate healthier breakfasts.

“Poor breakfast habits at age 16 years predicted the metabolic syndrome at age 43 years, independently of early confounders (lifestyles, BMI and SES). Of the metabolic syndrome components, poor breakfast habits at age 16 years predicted central obesity and high fasting glucose at age 43 years,” states the study.

The study was conducted by a short survey of what 1083 teenage students ate for breakfast. Approximately 27 years later, the participants were examined for the presence of metabolic syndrome. The findings showed that those who ate poor breakfasts had a 68 percent higher instance of metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is defined as a disorder of energy utilization and storage. The term metabolic refers to biochemical processes that are involved with the body’s normal functioning.

There are five risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome. While it is possible to have one by itself, they typically occur together, and three must be present to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. The five factors are:

– A large waistline, also called abdominal obesity, or having an apple shape

– A high triglyceride level

– A low HDL cholesterol level

– High blood pressure

– High fasting blood sugar

A person who has metabolic syndrome is five times more likely to develop diabetes, and twice as likely to develop heart disease as a person without it.

“Further studies are required for us to be able to understand the mechanisms involved in the connection between poor breakfast and metabolic syndrome, but our results and those of several previous studies suggest that a poor breakfast can have a negative effect on blood sugar regulation,” states Maria Wennberg, the main author of the study.

Poor Breakfast Habits In Adolescence May Lead To Metabolic Syndrome As Adults.